Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

Would you call this a foul or a block when a player goes for a simple underhand layup and the defender puts his arms across your body and cups the ball on top preventing you from extending your hand up and going forward.

Asked by RonanC over 9 years ago

Assuming the arm across did not cause contact, then when 2 oppposing players push the ball simultaneously in opposite directions it is a jump ball.

What is the result if two teams had only two players and all of them had fourth personal foul, then two players commit a double foul??

Asked by Caiverson over 9 years ago

I dont know. Normally a team is disqualified if it no longer has at least 2 players left to play. Never have seen even 1 team disqualified for going under 2.

What is considered a pass to yourself? If I am in the triple threat position and have not dribbled how far does a ball have to go in the air to be considered an illegal pass to myself?

Asked by Doug almost 9 years ago

There is no distance specified in the rule book.

Is it acceptable to hand the ball to an inbounder rather than passing the ball to an inbounder?

Asked by Cholly over 10 years ago

yes, unless the mechanics have changed in the past couple years, we were required to hand the ball to the in bounders on end line throw-ins. There is an advantage of bouncing the call to the in bounder on the sidelines because it allows the on-ball referee administering the throw in to step back and take a wider view (while he counts the 5 seconds).

high school Player A picks up his dribble and looks to pass. ball gets slapped out of his hands by defender and the ball pops in the air. Player A grabs the ball out of the air. is player A allowed to dribble?

Asked by midd44 over 10 years ago

Yes, player A lost control of the ball caused by the defender. There is no provision which states the ball must hit the floor after being batted away before recovering. So, yes A can dribble again.

Player is in-bounding ball - fakes a pass that cross plane and defensive player touches the ball - what is the call? Also, is defense allowed to steal or knock ball since ball crossed the plane but still in possession of in-bounder?

Asked by rph over 10 years ago

If an in bounder crosses the inbounds plane the defender has the right to touch the ball or rip it out.

While in the front court off player almost gets the ball stolen and to avoid that he dribbles the ball backwards one time and it touches the centerline. Is that over and back or do we play on?

Asked by Jj over 10 years ago

If the ball was established in the front court and an offensive player with ball control dribbles on the centerline or steps on any part of the centerline (while in control of the ball) it is a back court violation. The centerline is part of the back court.